Narine into top 10 in T20 rankings

Dubai, Dec 30 (IANS/CMC): West Indies off-spinner Sunil Narine has broken into the top 10 of the latest International Cricket Council Twenty20 player rankings.

The wily Trinidadian bowler rose three spots in the rankings released Saturday, to be joint tenth with South African speedster Dale Steyn, reports CMC.

Narine’s last T20 International was against Bangladesh earlier this month when he finished wicket-less from three overs. He has so far taken 16 wickets from 13 T20s in his fledgling international career.

There is no Indian bowler in the top 10 while there are two batsmen in the top 10. Virat Kohli with 730 points is in fifth position and Suresh Raina is in eighth.

West Indies captain Darren Sammy is the second highest-ranked West Indies bowler at 24th.

Pakistani off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has maintained his stranglehold on the number one spot in the rankings.

In the batting, West Indies Marlon Samuels has risen one spot to sixth while Chris Gayle remains unmoved on third.

Australian Shane Watson tops the rankings ahead of New Zealander Brendon McCullum.